DIY lights

[mitsuguy]

thinking about building a / some underwater lights...

I got the idea from a youtube video of a guy taking a cheapie home depot light, modifying it to accept lithium cells, and replacing the bulb with a high power bulb...

I was thinking about something similar to this, using standard rechargeable batteries, and filling the voids with maybe silicone sealant to waterproof it...

any ideas guys?

might do some experimenting over the next week or two... we'll see

[CompuDude]

Check the DIY forum on ScubaBoard. It's been done, but I'm not sure the results are worth the time and effort unless you have access to a machine shop.

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Check the DIY forum on ScubaBoard. It's been done, but I'm not sure the results are worth the time and effort unless you have access to a machine shop.

will do...

[marchand]

I wouldn't use silicon to waterproof it. first, it doesn't do the greatest job. second, if you have to go back and fix a solder joint or replace something it will be a PITA.

I would suggest using O-rings or gaskets to waterproof depending on what type of light your making and where on the light the seal is. the great thing about O-rings and gaskets is that they are cheap to replace and don't make a mess.

are you going to try to make a canister light or a standard hand held job?
Is it going to be HID or halogen?

for batteries I would go with a SLA or NiMH depending on the wattage and type of the bulb you will be using. If the bulb has a low power draw and you have the cash I would get Lithium Ion batteries because you will get a ridiculously long burn time. for high power draw applications you can not use lithium ion batteries, so if you are going to be dealing with more than about 5 A of current SLA and NiMH are the way to go. SLA are good batteries because they aren't charging sensitive. NiMH you have to charege at specific rates which means you have to buy a fancy charger. the problem with SLA is that they are bulky and square, but they are cheap. the good thing about NiMH is that they are compact and you can arrange them how you want them so they can fit almost anywhere, the problem is that high capacity ones are expensive.

[scubamike]

I switched the lightbulb from the UK Q40 with a CREE LED
Torches with a CREE Emitter?

[torrey]

Originally Posted by scubamike

I switched the lightbulb from the UK Q40 with a CREE LED
Torches with a CREE Emitter?

Steps? I have one of these lights.

[comet24]

There are step buy step direction somewhere. I know because I printed them out when I was thinking of making one, would still like to but I just don't have the time. Take a look the scubaboard.com they have a DIY section and I believe this where I found the info.

[JahJahwarrior]

There are many threads on SB about this, one has good directions for a cheap canister, one had directions for an LED lighthead. Making an HID light is a little difficult, becuase you need a ballast, and they can get expensive. If you don't need a ridiculously bright light, I would suggest LED.

Guide to Canisters
Guide to LED lighthead

You'll need access to simple tools, creativity, and a working knowledge of electronics. To make the LED, you'll need a code from the guy to put onto a microcontroller. Not too hard, but it's good if you've written and/or programmed microcontrollres before, and you'll need the hardware for that. I've asked the guy what he would charge to sell programmed chips, I think he'll do it if you ask nicely and slip him a $20 He modified some program for another light.

[mitsuguy]

hmmm... I think there is a lot of room for improvement on these guys designs... first off, a Sealed Lead Acid battery would seem to be the way to go... secondly, why would you need a controller for an LED? nothing special about LED's, just make sure you have one for the correct voltage as the battery pack you are using... I've rewired the gauges in my car with custom LED backlighting and needles...

thinking about adapting a HID set designed for car use to make a pair of lights...

[telmnstr]

Perhaps the high output LEDs use a controller to do some sort of pulse width modulation trickery to get more battery life?